Z3200 query

[Jim Sanderson]

My Z3200ps has yet another problem.  I was hoping to keep it a little while longer, but it seems like every month something else is going wrong with it.  This time I'm getting areas (lines about 1/2" wide) evenly spaced about 2 and 1/2 inches apart that are just a little lighter than the print and also just a little blurred and shaky looking.  No idea with this one.  Anyone ever have this problem or have an idea what might be wrong?

Jim

[jferrari]

Dirty feed rollers?

[Geraldo Garcia]

Parallel to the carriage movement or not?

[Jim Sanderson]

Yes, parallel to the carriage movement.  Maybe better described as fuzzy light (as compared to the rest of the print) bars.   

[jferrari]

How about a photo?

[Geraldo Garcia]

Yes, parallel to the carriage movement.  Maybe better described as fuzzy light (as compared to the rest of the print) bars.   

Ok, I am just trying to understand and think along with you as I never experienced something like that also.
It sounds like the printer is printing "ok" when the carriage goes, but doing a poor job when it comes back. I would try this (without any solid reason behind it):

1) Try to print in different quality mode, including "highest detail" and such to see if the problem happens when the printer prints in only one direction.
2) I would remove and clean the heads, clean the carriage e reset the heads. After that the printer will run the head alignment and after that I would do a paper advance calibration for the current paper.

If that does not solve it you may be facing another hardware failure.

Good luck.

[Mark Lindquist]

^ +1

[namartinnz]

I had something like this happen on one particular print where an art print had red blocks of colour changing to black, with approx 1cm lighter lines of black running in between the patches, the rest of the colour proper full black. I did a few test print strips (this was on canvas) and looked fine. Fill print came out with these bands. Solved that particular problem by printing the image vertical (was running full length across a 44" roll. Never seen it happen before or after. Possibly a render issue or print head?

Maybe do a calibration of the paper feed stepper motor? Hard call

Neal

[Jim Sanderson]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Will end up buying a care package and warrantee the unit for one more year.